Display packing for bicycle handlebar grips

ABSTRACT

A display packing for bicycle handlebar grips comprises a packing container which forms a packing chamber for accommodating at least a first bicycle handlebar grip. A rod-shaped receiving element, connected to the packing container via a connection arm, is provided for mounting a second bicycle handlebar grip thereon. The packing container is formed in one piece with the connection arm.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a display packing for handlebar grips of bicycles.

2. Discussion of the Background Art

Display packings are used so that the products contained therein, such as e.g. bicycle handlebar grips, can be favorably presented in salesrooms. For instance, such display packings comprise a cardboard box, normally bearing printed information on its outside, which serves as a display element. The product itself is arranged in a transparent packing body which is connected to said cardboard box, e.g. by gluing. Display packings are useful for packing the products as well as for presenting them with sales-enhancing effect.

Such a display packing for bicycle handlebar grips is known from EP 1 609 736. This display packing comprises a flat display element, which is likewise made of cardboard material and preferably bears printed information. Connected to the display element is a transparent plastic element, thereby forming a packing container for one of the two handlebar grips. The first handlebar grip is thus arranged on the display element and is held by plastic sheath connected to the display element. Further connected to the display element, via two screws, is an elongate base element made of plastic. Said base element comprises a cylindrical connector provided with an inner thread. This connector is adapted to take up a rod-shaped receiving element to be connected thereto by threaded engagement. Said rod-shaped receiving element is arranged at a distance from the display element. The rod-shaped receiving element is provided for mounting the second handlebar grip thereon, with the diameter of the rod-shaped receiving element being substantially identical to that of a bicycle handlebar. Thus, the second handlebar grip is arranged at a distance from the display element, thus leaving a gripping opening which is formed between the second handlebar grip and the display element. This arrangement will allow a customer to touch the bicycle handlebar grip so as to test whether, for him or her, the preferably ergonomic shape of the handlebar grip is agreeable to the touch. A disadvantage of this display packing resides in that the packing is relatively complex and thus expensive.

It is an object of the disclosure to provide a display packing which can be produced at reduced expense.

SUMMARY

The display packing for bicycle handlebar grips according to the disclosure comprises a packing chamber formed by a packing container. Said packing chamber serves for accommodating at least a first bicycle handlebar grip and, optionally, also accessories such as fastening elements for the bicycle handlebar grip, bar ends, the manual or sheet with mounting instructions, etc. A rod-shaped receiving element is connected to the packing container via a connection arm. Said rod-shaped receiving element, which is preferably round and has an outer diameter substantially corresponding to that of a bicycle handlebar, is provided to accommodate the second bicycle handlebar grip. The second handlebar grip can be plugged onto the receiving element. According to the disclosure, the packing container is formed in one piece with the connection arm. In this manner, the manufacturing expenditure for producing the display packing is considerably reduced. It is particularly preferable in this regard to produce the packing container and the connection arm exclusively from an easily recyclable material which preferably will comprise exclusively cardboard. Thus, according to the disclosure, the packing container together with the connection arm is formed as one three-dimensional shaped body. To allow for easy recycling, particularly of the display packing in its entirety, it is provided according to a particularly preferred embodiment that also the rod-shaped receiving element is made of cardboard material. Preferably, the rod-shaped receiving element is formed as a cardboard tube.

According to a preferred embodiment, the packing container defining the packing chamber is closed on its front side by a closure element. Preferably, said closure element is made of the same material as the packing container and the connection arm, the material of preference being cardboard. The closure element is formed as a relatively thin element having an areal surface, wherein, according to a preferred embodiment, the closure element closes not only the front side of the container, i.e. the packing chamber, but also extends over the front side of the connection arm. Thereby, the whole display packing is given a uniform front side. This front side, preferably forming a continuously closed display surface, can be printed on.

According to a preferred embodiment, the connection arm is connected to the packing container at an angle of inclination larger than 0°. In this arrangement, the connection arm extends relative to the customer towards the front, i.e. in the direction of the customer. The connection arm thus projects in the forward direction from the front side of the packing container. Said angle of inclination is preferably larger than 20° and more preferably larger than 30°. On the other hand, the angle of inclination is preferably smaller than 90° and more preferably smaller than 600. According to a preferred embodiment, the end region of the connection arm is curved backwards again. Thus, when seen in lateral view, the connection arm is S-shaped or has a substantially S-shaped center line. The angle of inclination of the end element of the connection arm is preferably smaller than the angle of inclination between the connection arm and the packing container. Preferably, a front side of the end element of the connection arm is arranged substantially parallel to the front side of the packing container.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the connection arm is hollow. Preferably, the packing chamber formed by the packing container can merge into the hollow connection arm. Optionally, for delimitation of the packing chamber, a partition wall is provided between the hollow connection arm and the packing chamber so to prevent that small parts from the packing chamber might undesirably enter the hollow space within the connection arm. The hollow space of the connection arm is closed by the closure element wherein, preferably, a common closure element is provided for closing the hollow space within the connection arm as well as the packing chamber of the packing container.

According to a preferred embodiment, the rod-shaped receiving element for mounting the second bicycle handlebar grip is arranged to extend into the connection arm. This allows for an easier, safe connection of the receiving element to the connection arm. For this purpose, the connection arm is provided, preferably in a side wall of the hollow connection arm facing in the direction of the receiving element, with a receiving opening for insertion of the rod-shaped receiving element therethrough into the connection arm. The connection of the receiving element to the preferably hollow connection arm is an disclosure in its own right, independently of the configuration of the packing chamber. In this regard, the packing chamber can also be entirely omitted so that, e.g., only a base element is provided, for instance in the form of an e.g. planar cardboard member. The two handlebar grips are then optionally arranged on separate displays or on one common or two separate connection arms, e.g. opposite each other.

A first end face of the receiving element is preferably arranged internally of the connection arm in a manner causing said end face to be in abutment with an inner surface of the connection arm, preferably an inner surface of a wall of the hollow connection arm. To this inner surface of the connection arm, said first end face can be tightly connected, preferably by gluing. For this purpose, glue flaps can be arranged on the first end face of receiving element. Said glue flaps can be produced by performing axial cuts into a rod-shaped receiving element preferably made from cardboard, and folding the respective portions outwards. In this manner, an enlarged gluing surface area is realized. With particular preference, instead of providing the glue flaps or in addition to the glue flaps, a first fixing element is provided for fastening the first end face of the receiving element to the inner surface of an outer wall of the connection arm. The fixing element herein is preferably formed as a connection bead, with the rod-shaped receiving element in the region of the first end face being surrounded by said connection bead at least partially and preferably fully, i.e. annularly. The connection bead can be produced from an adhesive foam. Preferred use is made of a biologically degradable adhesive foam.

Preferably, a second fixing element is provided on an inner side of the connection arm wall comprising the connection opening. Said second fixing element is preferably connected to the receiving element and/or the inner side of the wall. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, this is performed again via a connection bead surrounding the receiving element at least partially and preferably fully, i.e. annularly. Preferably, also the connection bead is made of an adhesive bead, preferred use being made of a biodegradable adhesive foam material.

On an outer side of the connection arm wall comprising the connection opening, there is preferably arranged a shell accommodating the receiving element at least partially and preferably entirely. The shell can be tightly connected to the receiving element and/or to the outer side of the connection arm, preferably by gluing. In this embodiment, the shell will have an additional stiffening and connection function. Irrespective thereof, the shell serves as a spacer so that the customer, when gripping the second bicycle handlebar grip mounted on the receiving element, will not seize the grip at a position too close to the connection arm. In this manner, it is avoided that the customer might touch the connection arm and possibly hurt his or her hand on the sharp-edged cardboard.

The closure element is provided with an opening element, preferably in the region of the front side of the packing container. Said opening element can be an embossed region, a tear flap, a tear cord or the like. Thereby, the packing chamber can be opened so that the first handlebar grip and the accessories can be removed from the packing chamber via a removal opening. The provision of such an opening element has the advantage that the tight connection between the closure element and the packing container, which connection preferably is a glued connection, does not have to be destroyed. Thus, it will be easy for the customer to open the packing chamber.

The receiving element for mounting the second bicycle handlebar grip thereon is preferably arranged at such a distance from the packing container that a grip opening will be maintained even in the mounted state of the handlebar grip. This makes it possible for the customer to seize the handlebar grip in the same manner as he or she would seize a handlebar grip mounted to a handlebar. Since, according to a preferred embodiment, the connection arm relative to the packing container is inclined in the forward direction, it is provided, according to a particularly preferred embodiment, that the receiving element is arranged at a forward displacement relative to the packing container. Preferably, the displacement of the receiving element relative to the front side of the packing container is provided to the effect that the receiving element is preferably completely arranged outside the plane formed by said front side. Thereby, the presentation of the bicycle handlebar grip is improved, and it is rendered possible to seize the handlebar grip from above. Thus, the customer will seize the handlebar grip by the same movement which would have to be performed if the handlebar grip were mounted to the handlebar

A further special advantage of the display packing according to the disclosure resides in the realization of a particularly compact packing.

A preferred embodiment of the disclosure will be explained in greater detail hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a display packing;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the display packing shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view as seen from the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view taken along the line V-V in FIG. 2, showing the removal opening in the opened state; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic frontal view of the display packing shown in FIG. 2, with mounted bicycle handlebar grip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The display packing, which according to a preferred embodiment is entirely made of cardboard and biologically degradable gluing materials, comprises a packing container 10. Internally of packing container 10, a first bicycle handlebar grip (not shown) as well as accessories can be arranged. Such accessories comprise e.g. barends, handlebar plugs, fastening clamps etc. Further, the packing chamber 12 formed by packing container 10 accommodate the mounting instructions. Packing container 10 is formed integrally with a connection arm 14. Both the packing container 10 and the connection arm 14 are preferably designed as a three-dimensional shaped body made of cardboard, and preferably both of them are hollow, wherein a partition wall can be provided between the hollow space of connection arm 14 and the packing chamber 12. Connected to connection arm 14 is a receiving element 16 preferably formed as a cardboard tube, said receiving element 16 being preferably connected to an end region 18 (FIG. 4) of connection arm 14. The rod-shaped receiving element 16 is adapted for mounting a second bicycle handlebar grip 20 (FIG. 6) thereon.

A front side 22 of packing container 10 is closed by a closure element 24 which according to a preferred embodiment is likewise made of cardboard. In the illustrated embodiment, said closure element 24 extends also over an end side 26 of connection arm 14, resulting in a display surface 22,26 closed in itself. Closure element 24 can be a three-dimensionally preformed cardboard element. It can also be provided that the closure element 24 has a corresponding flexibility and is fixed by gluing to edges 28 (FIG. 5) of packing container 10. A corresponding gluing attachment is provided also in the region of connection arm 14.

The rod-shaped receiving element 16 extends into the hollow space 30 (FIG. 3) of connection arm 14. For this purpose, an inner wall 32 of connection arm 14, facing towards the receiving element 16, comprises a receiving opening 34. The diameter of receiving opening 34 corresponds to the outer diameter of receiving element 16. Via receiving opening 34, the receiving element 16 protrudes so far into hollow space 30 that a first end face 36 of receiving element 16 is in abutment on an inner face 38 of an outer side wall 40, facing away from receiving element 16, of connection arm 14.

In the embodiment illustrated, connection of the receiving element 16 is provided by means of a first fixing element 42 and a second fixing element 44. In the illustrated embodiment, said fixing elements 42,44 are connection beads which are preferably made of an adhesive foam, most preferably an adhesive foam of the biologically degradable type. The two fixing elements 42,44 serve for connection of an outer side 46 of the rod-shaped receiving element 16 to an inner side 48 of wall 32 and respectively an inner side 50 of wall 40. The connection beads 42,44 can be of a continuous ring shape. Optionally, the connection beads can have the shape of part rings only.

Further, on an outer side 60 of wall 32, a preferably annular shell 62 is arranged. Said shell 62 can be connected, preferably by gluing, to the outer side 60 of wall 32 and/or the outer side 46 of receiving element 16.

A central plane 52 (FIG. 4) of packing container 10 is arranged at an angle a relative to a central plane 54 of connection arm 14. Said angle is larger than 00, preferably larger than 300, so that, relative to packing container 10, the connection arm 14 is directed forwards, i.e. in the direction of arrow 56 in FIG. 4.

Following the above configuration, the end element 18 of connection arm 14 has a smaller inclination again, wherein a central plane 58 of end element 18 is arranged relative to said central plane 52 of packing container 10 at an angle smaller than the above angle a. Optionally, said two planes 52,58 are parallel to each other.

As evident particularly from the configuration of closure element 24 when seen in side view (FIG. 4), it is preferred that the connection arm 14 together with the packing container 10 is S-shaped in side view and has an S-shaped center line.

For removal of the first bicycle handlebar grip from the packing chamber 12, the closure element 24 can be opened with the aid of an opening element 64, such as e.g. a tear flap, a tear cord or a perforation. In this manner, a removal opening 66 is generated (FIG. 5). However, by opening said removal opening 66, there will not be caused a destruction of the glued connection in the edge region 28 of packing container 10 where the container is glued to the closure element 24.

The receiving element 16, preferably formed as a cardboard tube, is on its second end side closed by a closure element 68 which is preferably formed as a lid made of cardboard. Closure element 68 can be connected to the inner side of receiving element 16 by gluing.

In the state wherein the bicycle handlebar grip 20 is mounted on receiving element 16 (FIG. 6), a grip opening 70 exists between the second bicycle handlebar grip 20 and the packing container 10. Thus, it will be easily possible for the customer to touch the bicycle handlebar grip 20 and to seize it corresponding to a handlebar grip mounted to the handlebar.

Although the disclosure has been described and illustrated with reference to specific illustrative embodiments thereof, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited to those illustrative embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the true scope of the disclosure as defined by the claims that follow. It is therefore intended to include within the disclosure all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 

1. A display packing for bicycle handlebar grips, comprising a packing container forming a packing chamber for accommodating at least a first bicycle handlebar grip, and a rod-shaped receiving element connected to the packing container via a connection arm and arranged for mounting a second bicycle handlebar grip thereon, the packing container being formed in one piece with the connection arm.
 2. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein the packing container and the connection arm and/or the receiving element are made exclusively of cardboard.
 3. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein a closure element, preferably made of cardboard, is provided for closing a front side of the packing container and/or a front side of the connection arm.
 4. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein the packing container and the connection arm comprise a common closure element preferably forming a continuous display surface.
 5. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein the connection arm relative to the packing container is arranged at an inclination angle >0°, preferably >20° and more preferably >30°.
 6. The display packing according to claim 5, wherein an end element of the connection arm relative to the packing container has a smaller inclination angle than the connection arm.
 7. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein the connection arm has a substantially S-shaped center line.
 8. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein the connection arm is hollow.
 9. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein the receiving element extends into the connection arm via a receiving opening.
 10. The display packing according to claim 9, wherein a first end face of the receiving element is in abutment on an inner face of the connection arm, said first end face preferably being tightly connected to said inner face by gluing.
 11. The display packing according to claim 10, wherein said connection is performed by a first fixing element at least partially surrounding the receiving element, said first fixing element being preferably formed as a connection bead.
 12. The display packing according to claim 9, wherein, on an inner side of the connection arm wall comprising said receiving opening, a second fixing element is arranged, said second fixing element being connected to the receiving element and/or to said inner side of said wall and being preferably formed as a connection bead.
 13. The display packing according to claim 9, wherein, on an outer side of said connection arm wall comprising said receiving opening, a shell surrounding the receiving element is arranged.
 14. The display packing according to claim 3, wherein said closure element in the region of the front side of the packing container is provided with an opening element to be actuated for generating an removal opening.
 15. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein a second end side of the receiving element facing away from the connection arm is closed by a closure element preferably made of cardboard.
 16. The display packing according to claim 1, wherein, also in the mounted state of the second bicycle handlebar grip, a grip opening exists between the receiving element and respectively said handlebar grip and the packing container.
 17. The display packing according to claim 3, wherein the receiving element is arranged at a displacement relative to the front side of the packing container and preferably entirely outside a plane formed by said front side. 